Coach Coach Al Al Fracassa

Coach Al Fracassa, a titan in Michigan high school football and a devoted family man, passed away peacefully at home September 7, 2025. He was 92 years old. He was born November 13, 1932, in Detroit, the youngest of Felice and Amelia Fracassa's four sons.

Growing up on the east side of Detroit, Al was nicknamed "Peanuts" by his childhood buddies and affectionately called "Beto" by his parents and three brothers. From early on, athletics were central to his life. Al graduated cum laude from Detroit Northeastern High School in 1951, serving as class president and earning All-City honors in baseball and All-City and All-State recognition in football-apt for the quarterback who would soon shape generations of young men.

He attended Michigan State University from 1951 to 1955, becoming part of the National Championship team of 1952 and playing in the Rose Bowl in 1954. In 1954, he received the Fred Danziger Award for his outstanding contributions to the team.

Al began his coaching career in 1955 as an assistant at Flint Mandeville High School, served in the U.S. Army (1956–1957), then returned to coaching at Rochester High School (1958–1959). In 1960, he took on the head football coach role at Royal Oak Shrine, compiling a 44–19–5 record through 1968.

The defining chapter of his coaching legacy began in 1969 at Brother Rice High School, where he remained until his retirement in 2013. Over those 44 seasons, he amassed a staggering overall record of 430 wins-then a Michigan record -and led his teams to nine state championships, more than 15 Catholic League titles, and sent over 300 players to college, including 13 who made it to the NFL. His accolades include four Michigan Coach of the Year honors, National Coach of the Year, and NFL High School Coach of the Year (1997). In 1999, he was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.

In 2004, the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association awarded him the Jim Crowley Award. The citation highlighted not only his extraordinary won-lost record but, more importantly, his unwavering commitment to selflessness, character-building, and treating each player as an individual of worth. A former player aptly reflected that his "true genius lies in his unmatched ability to elevate the human spirit."

An enduring testament to his impact is a 2023 biography titled Fracassa: The Man, The Times and The Teams, written by a former player, Bud Krause, detailing his life-from his Italian-immigrant family origins to his storied coaching career.

Off the field, Al was a tender-hearted, steadfast family man. He first met his lifelong love, Phyllis Secontine, in seventh grade; they shared prom night together, attended Michigan State, and were married six months after his Army service began in 1956-she even accompanied him to Germany during his service.

Together they raised four children: two sons-Rick and David-and two daughters-Kathy and Suzy. His love for his family was as profound as his devotion to coaching.

Al Fracassa was more than the winningest coach in Michigan high school football history; he was a builder of character, a shaper of lives, and a man who understood that success is rooted in love, humility, and unwavering dedication.

He often quoted his coach: "Do things better than you've ever done them before." That mantra became not only his philosophy for football but a guiding principle for life. His legacy lives on-in the players he mentored, the values he instilled, and the lives he touched-both on and off the field. He was deeply loved, and he will be deeply missed.

He is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 70 years, Phyllis, his children, Rick Fracassa (Kay Cee), Dave Fracassa (Kelly), Kathy Connealy (Mick), and Suzy Fracassa; his grandchildren, Erika Lepczyk, Taylor Givens (Colin), Jason Fracassa (Kelsey), Kristine Fracassa (Tyler), David Fracassa, Jack Connealy, and Julia Connealy; and great-grandchildren, Leighton, Effie, and Fitz Lepczyk, Tyler Fracassa, Ewen Givens, and Myles Fracassa. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Romeo, Guido, and Angelo Fracassa.

Visitation will take place at St. Regis Catholic Church, 3695 Lincoln Rd (at Lahser), Thursday, September 11, 2025, 4-8pm. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Regis the following day, Friday, September 12, 2025, at 11am. Friends may visit at church beginning at 10am. The Funeral Mass will be viewable via livestream here.